On the brink of eradication: Why polio research matters

On the brink of eradication: Why polio research mattersIn the decades since Dr. Jonas Salk developed the first polio vaccine, cases of polio have exponentially declined. Though once widespread epidemic, the highly infectious childhood disease is now close to global eradication. The question remains: why would researchers spend time and resources studying a virus already on the brink of total eradication?In the decades since Dr. Jonas Salk developed the first polio vaccine, cases of polio have exponentially declined. Though once widespread epidemic, the highly infectious childhood disease is now close to global eradication. The question remains: why would researchers spend time and resources studying a virus already on the brink of total eradication?